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State Of Grace

News Progress Posted on by

•April 24, 2019•

Central Illinois’ premier southern gospel trio, State of Grace, will perform at 6 p.m. April 27 at First Baptist Church in Sullivan.
Based in Sullivan, the trio is a popular singing group. Vocalists Glenda Weldy, Della Eccles and Gary Perry all grew up in central Illinois and all began performing at early ages. They have been singing together throughout the region for 10 years.
The public is invited to attend. The church is handicap accessible with wheelchairs and walkers available near the elevator at the west entrance.

OVHS Softball Faced a Week of Strong Hitting Teams

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•April 24, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Okaw Valley softball team dropped four straight games this past week.
The Timberwolves lost to Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond Monday, Westville Saturday, Fisher Saturday and Arcola last Tuesday.
In the first game of the doubleheader Saturday, OV lost to Fisher 16-1, after scoring its lone run in the first inning.
Grace Bunfill was 2-for-3 and Bella Benning was 1-for-2 with a run scored.
Madison Vogel suffered the loss. She pitched 3 1/3 innings and gave up nine earned runs on 11 hits and six walks. She struck out five.
In the second game of the doubleheader, Westville plated the winning run in the top of the seventh inning for the 3-2 victory.
Vogel homered for one of the Timberwolves’ runs, and Kate Jeffers doubled twice and scored the other OV run. Read More

Easter Hams Donated

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Photo by Mike Brothers
Easter Hams Donated
As Easter dinner came around the Moultrie County Food Pantry received 100 hams from Sullivan IGA to give to families for Easter Sunday. The donation was made by one anonymous person whose spirit exemplifies the season. The IGA meat department also made a special delivery April 17 to make sure the hams arrived in time for Sunday dinner. Pictured are front: Emmalee Hortenstine; back from left: IGA Meat Dept. manager Barry Golden, Seth Cobb and Mason Harner. In the United States ham is a traditional Easter food. In the early days, meat was slaughtered in the fall. There was no refrigeration, and the fresh pork that wasn’t consumed during the winter months before Lent was cured for spring. The curing process took a long time, and the first hams were ready around Easter. Thus, ham was a natural choice for the celebratory Easter dinner.

Recent Obituaries: Linda V. Williamson

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Linda V. Williamson

Linda V. Williamson, 80, of Sullivan passed away Friday, April 19, 2019 at Sullivan Rehabilitation and Health Care Center.
Funeral services will be held 2:00 p.m. Monday, April 22, 2019 at McMullin-Young Funeral Home, Sullivan. Visitation will be held one hour before the services at the funeral home in Sullivan. Burial will be in Penn Township Cemetery, Moweaqua. Memorials may be made to the Sullivan Health Care Activity Department or to the Fresenius Dialysis Unit Route 36, Decatur.
Linda was born February 23, 1939 in Shelbyville, the daughter of George and Irene (Dedman) Funk. She married Joseph D. Williamson on December 19, 1956 in Findlay; he preceded her in death on March 6, 2013. She loved butterflies, reading, puzzle books, classic country music and getting her nails done. Linda was the President of the Resident Council at Sullivan Health Care.
Linda is survived by her daughters, Darla (Leonard) Turner of Clinchco, VA, Michelle Williamson of Sullivan, Donna (Michael) Dudek of Round Rock, TX; grandchildren, Kyle (Britany Cheatum) Albritton, Kathy (Jared Greenwood) Albritton, and James (Becca) Turner, Randy Williamson and Charles Dudek; great-grandchildren, Arya Albritton, Aryssa Greenwood, David Albritton, Kira Albritton and Landon Greenwood.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, and two sons.
Condolences may be offered to the family at www.mcmullinyoung.com

Redskins Baseball Team Defeats Central A&M

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Photo by R.R. Best
A back and forth season so far.

•April 17, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan baseball team defeated Central A&M but lost to Altamont and St. Teresa this past week.
Against St. Teresa Friday, a pitchers’ duel put the Redskins ahead 1-0 heading into the bottom of the seventh inning when the Bulldogs plated three runs for the eventual 3-1 win.
For Sullivan, Dalton Rogers pitched six innings in the loss. He gave up two earned runs on five hits and two walks. He struck out 10.
Kanin Elder was 2-for-3 with a run scored, and Tim Lawyer, Austin Scott and Colin Wickiser each had a hit.
Scott knocked in the Redskins’ lone run.
Last Tuesday, the Redskins pounded CAM 16-0. Read More

Twin Meet Week for Sullivan Girls’ Track Team

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•April 17, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Sullivan girls’ track and field team competed in two meets this past week.
The Redskins placed tenth in the Unity Girls Invite at Tolono Friday and second in a quadrangular at Warrensburg last Tuesday.
Sullivan placed tenth out of 20 teams with 19.5 points in the Unity Girls Invite.
Three Redskins scored points.
Esther Miller triple jumped 34 feet 4.5 inches to take first place, and she ran the 400 meters in 1:03 for fourth place.
In the high jump, Zoe Walton took fourth with a leap of five feet, and Emily White placed fifth at 4 feet 10 inches.
Last Tuesday, Sullivan finished second with 78 points in a quadrangular at Warrensburg.
Several Sullivan athletes scored points, including six first-place finishers. Read More

Three Win Week for ALAH Softball Team

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•April 17, 2019•
By Jason Brown
NP Sports Editor

The Arthur-Lovington-Atwood-Hammond softball team defeated Neoga, Arcola and Cerro Gordo/Bement but lost to Windsor/Stewardson-Strasburg this past week.
Against Neoga last Tuesday, Addi Tinkle hit a 3-run homer in the fifth inning to help the Knights win 7-6.
Tinkle finished with five RBIs, and Marissa Herschberger recorded three hits, a walk and two runs scored.
Shelby Frederick got the win in the circle. Read More

Remember When? 4-17-2019

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25 Years Ago This Week

Dick Nelson of the Lovington Area Development Committee reported that the committee had applied for the Governor’s Hometown Award. Representatives from the governor’s office and city officials will meet with members of the LADC to evaluate the application.
Knighting was one of the events held as part of the annual Medieval Fair held in the Sullivan Middle School gym. Trumpets were played by Chester Reeder, Alan Knobloch and Sally Mundy. Amanda Corzine and Jennifer Auten told a story of Eleanor of Aquitane who was known for ruling two lands. Melissa Davis, Josie Harris, Chelsey Peters and Mary Reed were the jesters who amused the king and queen. Two kings and two queens ruled the gym each hour. Queens: Krista Boyce and Crystal Norton, first hour; April Collins and April Kimery, second hour; Kari Taylor and Georgine Nunn, third hour. Kings: Robert Cole and Corey Parks, first hour; Dylan Dudley and Dusty Brownlee, second hour; Jon Livergood and Andy Maxedon, third hour. Dubbed as knights were Angela Perry, Curtis Suhl, John Ray, Matt Rutledge, Michael Perry and Johnny Gillon. Read More

City Clerk is McHenry Bound

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•April 17, 2019•

Sullivan City Clerk Monte Johnson is moving to McHenry, Illinois.
He has accepted the deputy city clerk/assistant to the city administrator position in the northern Illinois city with a population of 26,500.
“Our sophomore son is in the Math and Science Academy (Aurora) and our senior is going to the Air Force academy so this is the ideal time to move on,” Johnson said, noting his last day in Sullivan is April 23.
“I will stay for the last city council meeting to be sure everything is taken care of,” Johnson continued, noting he will be on the job in McHenry by Thursday, April 25.
The McHenry clerk is retiring at the end of April, giving Johnson four days to get acquainted with the new operation.
In McHenry the 22-year Sullivan employee will concentrate on the duties of the city clerk’s office.
In Sullivan Johnson wore many hats for the city and has been instrumental as GIS coordinator and IT specialist, doing everything from setting up electronic meter reading to making Greenhill Cemetery grave location as easy as the click of a mouse.
Johnson is a Sullivan alum who started working at the city as assistant Civic Center director and IT technician. When the city clerk position opened six years ago, he added those duties to his job and moved into city hall.